Despite losing its past three games, the No. 13 Spartans hockey team remains focused and upbeat about its chances to get back into the CCHA race as it prepares to meet last-place Western Michigan in a home-and-home series this weekend.
"It's a big weekend because we want to get back on track," MSU head coach Rick Comley said. "You use injuries as an excuse long enough. We need a feel-good weekend. That means two wins."
A large reason why the Spartans (5-4-2 overall, 2-3-2 CCHA) still hold hopes for a promising season is the great chemistry that has been shown on and off the ice.
"That's the best part about this team this year," sophomore forward Chris Mueller said. "It's one of the closest teams I've ever been on. We're going to be so successful — we just got to get back on the same page."
The Broncos (2-6-0, 2-4-0) have dropped their past four contests after sweeping Ohio State in their CCHA-opening series, while the Spartans have lost their past three, making this matchup critical in the conference's big picture.
"It's easy to get down right now, but we've got to realize we can turn it around just as quick," senior defenseman Jared Nightingale said. "We're playing for just as much as they are right now. We know it's going to be tight hockey games."
Despite residing at the bottom of the league standings, the Broncos are still a team with plenty of offensive weapons. Forwards Brent Walton and Paul Szczechura lead the team in scoring with nine points each.
"(They're an) excellent one-two punch that we see around the league," Comley said. "We've got to make them play in their end and take away their attack. They're a very dangerous team for sure."
The Spartans might get a lift this weekend with the return of senior forward David Booth, who has been out of action since Oct. 14 with a rib injury.
"He looks like he can go, we probably won't know for sure until tomorrow night," Comley said. "He's a big key. He's a heck of a player. I'd love to see him back in there."
The return of Booth would add another power forward into the lineup to provide physical presence — a part of the game that Comley said his team has been lacking recently.
"We have not played physical enough the last three games," he said. "When we hit, we win. When we don't play physical, I tend to see them just standing around too much."
The teams will open the series at 7:05 p.m. Friday at Munn Ice Arena before closing at the same time Saturday in the hostile territory of Lawson Ice Arena in Kalamazoo. The Spartans split their only two meetings with the Broncos last season.
